William Hague’s beery legacy

Po-faced Labour MP Grahame Morris has been crying into his bitter this morning at young Tories up at York University who hold an annual ‘Hagueathon’ in honour of the fourteen pints the Foreign Secretary necked when he was a student. The game is very simple: right-wing students try to drink fourteen ales, with varying degrees of success.

‘I suspect William Hague’s capacity for 14 pints of Yorkshire bitter was a figment of his imagination,’ moans Morris to the Mirror. ‘In the current climate when the Government is supposed to be doing something about the alcohol crisis, this sets a bad example.’

Steerpike hears that Barrel Scrapper Morris has missed a trick. In a GQ interview in 2009, Hague actually endorsed his contribution to the English language:

‘I get students writing to tell me about having a Hagueathon: they are trying to drink 14 pints, or have a three-legged one where two of them drink seven pints. That is my contribution to the English language. Margaret Thatcher contributed ‘Thatcherism’, all I’ve contributed is the name of a drinking contest.’

As an ex-York Tory I was quite confused that the Mirror seems to imply that this event is a one-off… The Hagueathon has been done twice per year by the York Tories for at least 10 years and is still going strong! There also has to be a hat tip to a Mr. R Buckle who has completed 7 of them. Or 9. I can never remember…

Guest

Ha! As an ex-York Tory I am happy for this

Gaverne

A Morrisathon: a prolonged masturbation session.

Aaron D Highside

Are there also Prezzathons for lefties and Kennedythons for those who prefer more of a marathon?

sam

I think in the name of fairness he should specify the beer of which he drank fourteen pints. For example, I’m pretty sure in terms of ABV I could handle fourteen pints of Skol, at a lowly 2.0% (I can’t think of an equivalent bitter or ale) across a suitable period of time and with some food provided. I think any moderate drinker could. I’m equally sure that fourteen pints of Bengal Lancer, ESB or Kronenbourg would do me a mischief.